


Poison

by cestlavieminako



Category: Kamen Rider Blade
Genre: Fix-it fic, M/M, Suicide Attempt, end of series fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22534747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cestlavieminako/pseuds/cestlavieminako
Summary: And in that moment, I felt a strong swelling of human emotion. The first of many, I would later learn.
Relationships: Aikawa Hajime/Kenzaki Kazuma
Comments: 7
Kudos: 15





	Poison

**Author's Note:**

> This is the very first Rider fic I ever wrote, back in 2005, not terribly long after I finished watching Blade. Blade was my first series, and it left such an impression with me that I HAD to try and write something after such a bittersweet ending. I reworked bits and pieces of this, since...well, it's 15 years old! But I know Blade still has a big fan following, and surely I'm not the only person who wrote a fix-it fic for it.
> 
> Noting again even though it's tagged as such, but there IS a fairly graphic suicide attempt in the fic, so please proceed with caution.

_"I never saw him again after that day._

_As I watched the bright green blood of an Undead drip from his arm to pool slowly at his feet, my heart clenched. I knew at that point that being near him would be the death of one of us. The Battle Fight could not be denied. I wanted to take him in my arms, shake him, ask him how this was better than sealing me and ending it all simply._

_Kenzaki...you fool._

_And in that moment, I felt a strong swelling of human emotion. The first of many, I would later learn._

_Fear._

_Sadness._

_And...loss. The loss of the happy, energetic human man I realized I loved more than I could have ever fathomed."_

*

Several weeks earlier...

"Henshin!" Kenzaki cried out, running in to join the fray. The final Undead--the last Category King--had surfaced again and was currently blocking a series of attacks from Kamen Rider Chalice. Chalice, Aikawa Hajime, was also an Undead...the mysterious Joker. It was rumored that if Joker was the last Undead remaining on Earth, the world would be destroyed. But Kenzaki, ever the optimist, swore he wouldn't let that happen...if it seemed to be coming to pass, Kenzaki had taken it upon himself to seal Joker...no, Hajime-san, on his own.

As Kamen Rider Blade raced across the landscape, the Category King nimbly avoided Chalice's attack, then whirled around and connected its bladed arm with Chalice's head. Hajime's shout of pain and surprise was heard quite clearly as his helmet shattered on the side, exposing most of his head. A thick trail of blood poured down his right cheek as he stumbled forward, falling to the ground limply.

"Hajime-san!!" Blade hollered; reaching into his belt, he pulled forth a card and slid it into the appropriate slot on his sword. "Absorb Queen...Evolution King", the sword spoke, as Blade fused with his thirteen sealed Undead and transformed into his powerful King Form.

"Bastard!" The Category King looked up, as if it had now just noticed Blade's arrival, its arm poised to deliver the killing blow to the wounded Chalice. Blade slapped four specific cards on his sword, and flame surrounded the path between him and his enemy. "Royal Straight Flush!" 

The Category King leaped to the side at the last moment, transforming back into his human guise. With a cocky half-smile, he turned and vanished, leaving Blade staring in anger at the space he had just occupied.

Suddenly, Blade felt his heart pound, and he doubled over in pain. "No...the King Form is..!" he gasped. Reaching to his belt, he removed the Change Card with shaking fingers, as his transformation undid itself. "That was close," he murmured.

"Foolish...you'll die if you...continue to use that Form," a weak voice said, and Kenzaki turned to see Hajime's eyes on him from within the shattered helmet.

"Hajime-san!" Kenzaki exclaimed, rushing to his comrade's side. Turning Chalice onto his back, Kenzaki reached out and took a certain card from him, running it through his Changer. "Spirit," it spoke, and the transformation came undone.

"Hang on, Hajime-san...I'll take you back home. You'll be ok," Kenzaki said, trying to help Hajime to his feet.

"It would be wiser...to seal me now. I can feel Joker stirring within me...he wants to win the Battle Fight..."

"To hell with the Battle Fight!" Kenzaki shouted, looking deep into Hajime's eyes. The young man was startled into silence as Kenzaki put an arm around his back, trying to steady Hajime. "I will not sacrifice a friend. Just wait, Hajime-san...I promise I _will_ save you," Kenzaki stated, eyes cast forward.

Hajime was at a loss for words. Kenzaki glanced at him, and his familiar smile crossed his face. It was odd, Hajime thought...why were Kenzaki's eyes so sad?

There was no time to pursue this thought, though, as Hajime was pulled down by the tendrils of unconsciousness. He was only vaguely aware of hitting the grassy land beneath him, as Kenzaki's cry of alarm invaded his mind.

"Hajime-san!! Hold on!"

*

Hajime was dimly aware of the sun's rays on his face, and he lifted a sore arm to cover his eyes. As his hand met his face, it grazed something over his eye. Opening his other eye halfway, he glanced around to make certain he was alone, then opened it fully.

Catching his movement in a mirror across from him, Hajime was startled to see the blood-soaked bandages that covered nearly half of his face. Small cuts dotted his neck and chest, most likely caused by shrapnel from his helmet. "No matter...it will heal soon enough. Kenzaki obviously forgets that I am not human," he thought to himself, reaching up with the intentions of tearing the bandages away.

As his fingers touched the soft gauze, however, Hajime heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Biting back a curse, he laid back, closing his eyes once again and feigning unconsciousness.

Kenzaki quietly entered the room, closing the door behind himself. "Ah...still not awake", he murmured.

Placing a bowl of water on the nightstand, he moistened a washcloth and wrung it out carefully. Taking the bandages from Hajime's face, he began to gently wipe the dried blood from the young man's features. "Looks like the wounds have closed...good," Kenzaki said with a relieved nod.

Hajime kept his eyes closed and his breathing shallow as if he slept. He merely had to wait for Kenzaki to leave the room, then he would escape...

Where? Even now, deep down, he felt the familiar tingle of Joker stirring. It would not be safe if he returned to the restaurant...he could lose control and unknowingly hurt or even kill Amane-chan and her mother. He needed to go somewhere alone, away from humans, so if he did lose control, he'd be...

"Alone..." Kenzaki said softly. Hajime's heart skipped a beat...did Kenzaki sense what he was planning? "I wish you would accept our help, Hajime-san. I can't imagine how lonely you must feel," Kenzaki continued, reaching out to smooth back Hajime's dark bangs.

Hajime's heartbeat increased. For some reason, Kenzaki's closeness was making him feel...uneasy. "You're human enough to me, Hajime-san. I know you can overcome the creature inside you. I wish I could help you...but...you're too proud. I wish...for a lot of things." Kenzaki's eyes turned down to Hajime's face, a slight sadness looking out of place on his usually cheerful face.

Kenzaki leaned down, his lips brushing across Hajime's. Hajime felt the grip on his composure slipping. What was happening..? This feeling on his lips...it was so light it was barely there, but at the same time it could not be ignored. He continued trying to breathe normally, but each breath brought in Kenzaki's scent. A moan escaped Hajime's slightly parted lips...why was Kenzaki having such an effect on him now? After so many battles, so much time, why was this moment any different?

Kenzaki stiffened slightly as Hajime moaned, and he quickly drew back. Had he just made a mistake? Or was Hajime-san waking up now? The answer came as Hajime slowly opened his eyes, wincing slightly at the bright sunlight.

"Are you all right now?" Kenzaki asked, his usual grin back on his face.

Hajime touched his head; seeing his fingers come away blood-free, he nodded in satisfaction. "Of course. I am an Undead, as you may recall. We heal much faster than you humans," he replied, rising from the bed and retrieving his shirt from the back of a nearby chair.

"H...hey! Not even a 'thank you'? Where are you going now?" Kenzaki asked, slightly miffed.

"I must return..."

"Return where? To people you could kill if Joker surfaces? Hajime-san, stay here, we can help..!"

Kenzaki's hand reached out to close around Hajime's shoulder, but the smaller man shrugged it off. " _Who_ will help me? How? Your friend Tachibana wants me dead. Your other friends fear me...I can sense it when they are near me. And you? All you have are words. Why do you care so much about what happens to me? Are you _that_ bent on saving your fellow man?" Hajime asked, his eyes cold.

"That's not it!" Kenzaki shouted, with a ferocity that Hajime had not thought him capable of. "Hajime-san...I...I want...I want you to _trust_ in me!"

"Oh?" Hajime asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Trust you with _what_? What do you have to offer me other than a swift death and your meaningless words, Kenzaki?"

Kenzaki struggled with himself, seeming to be unable to answer that one question. "I...I have..." he stammered, unable to meet Hajime's eyes.

"That's right...nothing. You have nothing, and you _are_ nothing. Now, I am leaving...do not follow. I am not in the mood to deal with your foolishness now," Hajime stated, shoving his way past Kenzaki and leaving the room.

As Kenzaki stood, fists clenched at his sides, his lips moved soundlessly in reply to Hajime's question, but Hajime had already exited the house and began following the road to his unknown destination.

*

The next day...

Kenzaki carefully made his way down the rocks to the canyon floor. He breathed in deeply, taking in the scents of nature around him as he looked for one thing in particular. "Where is it? Did I come too far..?" he asked himself aloud, looking all around.

Continuing on his present course, something caught Kenzaki's eye, and he smiled. "Ah! There it is..." he murmured, veering off the path worn down by wild animals and continuing through knee-high grass until he reached his destination: a small, one-room, rickety cabin.

He stepped inside, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dim interior as he called out, "Hajime-san? Are you here?"

Silence greeted Kenzaki as he walked further inside, checking behind the separating wall. "As I thought...he's not even _here_...and I was hoping he _would_ be!" Kenzaki sighed, flopping down on the uncomfortable wooden bed. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, glancing down at the offending slab of wood until a shadow fell across the room, making the darkness nearly unbearable.

Kenzaki's eyes lit with hope as they fell upon the young man in the doorway. "Hajime-san!" he said, startled, rising to his feet.

"Why are you here..?" Hajime asked, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. "Can I not even escape you **here**?" A slightly maddened look crossed Hajime's face as he drew a card.

"Hajime-san..!" Kenzaki breathed; he had left his Changer at home, feeling that it would be unnecessary...but as Hajime coldly spat, "Henshin," Kenzaki began to doubt his decision.

In seconds, Chalice stood before him, his body tensed. "I told you not to follow me, Kenzaki..." Hajime's voice sounded tinny and unreal coming from within the helmet--which, Kenzaki realized, was healed as completely as its wearer.

As this thought passed through Kenzaki's mind, Chalice leaped across the room, slamming into Kenzaki and knocking him back onto the bed, his head connecting painfully with the wall. Before Kenzaki could react, gloved fingers wrapped themselves around his throat.

"Hajime-san...don't..." Kenzaki gasped, fighting to pry fingers clamped like steel from his neck.

"Why? Why do you continue to haunt me, Kenzaki? Let the Category King _kill_ me!" Chalice shouted.

"No...I won't...watch anyone die...again..." Kenzaki gasped.

Chalice's grip tightened. "Why are you trying so hard for me? _I am not human!_ " he shouted bitterly.

"It...doesn't...matter!" Kenzaki shouted hoarsely, summoning the strength to fling Chalice off. Kenzaki sucked in air desperately, unable to stand as Chalice rose, his hands clenching at his sides.

"I cannot even have peace with you alive! Since you saved me from the Category King, you are the only thing I see...you haunt my very dreams!" Chalice roared, thrusting an accusing finger at Kenzaki, who still was trying to get to his feet, one hand at his throat.

"You've infected me, Kenzaki. I want to taste you, breathe you in, make you part of me. Why? Why am I seeing such things in my dreams? Why does my chest _ache_? Tell me, Kenzaki!" Chalice shouted, his voice pleading, falling to his knees.

Kenzaki's eyes widened...impossible...Hajime-san, was he..?

But before he could even dare to ask the question aloud, Chalice began to scream, throwing his head back, a green-white tint surrounding him. "Shit...Joker is trying to break free!" Kenzaki realized.

Summoning all of his courage, he rushed over to Chalice, pulling free his Spirit card and passing it through his Changer. Chalice vanished, leaving behind Hajime, but the young man still screamed in agony, Joker's form blurring out his human features.

Taking a risk, Kenzaki flung his arms around Hajime, holding the young man close. "You want to know why, Hajime-san? It's because…you feel affection toward me! Like...like I do for you!" Kenzaki shouted to be heard over Hajime's tortured cries.

There was silence for a moment as Hajime and Joker's faces flitted between one another, and Kenzaki took it as his chance. Taking Hajime's face in his hands, he leaned in and kissed him tenderly.

Kenzaki felt Hajime tense, and the feel of inhuman hands briefly on his arms. Breaking the kiss, Kenzaki ran his fingers lightly across Hajime's face, passing over his lips softly. "I love you, Hajime-san...that's what I can give you. My love...my support...my life, if need be. Try to fight this demon", he said softly.

Joker's form faded, and Hajime was fully visible. He sat, stunned, as tears fell from his eyes. "Kenzaki...I...don't understand. My eyes...I still hurt...my chest..." Hajime whispered, his hand closing over the fabric of his shirt over his heart. "What can I do?" he asked, turning tear-stained eyes up to Kenzaki's.

What indeed, Kenzaki wondered...he didn't want to do anything either of them would regret, but...Hajime-san was clearly in pain. "Your dreams..." Kenzaki said in sudden realization. Hajime looked up in confusion as Kenzaki continued. "You told me I haunt your dreams. The things you wonder about...will doing them calm you?"

Hajime's eyes widened in shock. "I...I...can't" he whispered.

"Why?" Kenzaki insisted.

"I'm...afraid", Hajime replied in a barely audible voice.

"Me too..." Kenzaki said; Hajime turned startled eyes toward him. "I'm afraid of what could happen...but you know what? I don't care. I want to help you, Hajime-san. So...go ahead. I promise I won't go anywhere," Kenzaki stated, a small smile gracing his lips.

Hajime shook...he could fulfill the dreams he'd been having...put that part of his mind to rest. But...why was he having such a hard time moving? He was acting like...like a cowardly human!

"Will this help you?" Hajime turned to see Kenzaki pull his shirt over his head and drop it to the floor. Sitting back more comfortably, he closed his eyes. "It's all up to you now, Hajime-san", Kenzaki whispered.

Hajime's eyes were fixated on Kenzaki's slender but muscled chest and arms. To be embraced by those arms...to lay on that chest...he wanted to run his fingers through Kenzaki's hair...

With tremendous effort, Hajime lifted a shaking hand, reaching for Kenzaki. He then reached out to lightly trace his fingers over Kenzaki's cheek. Kenzaki smiled slightly, nuzzling Hajime's hand gently. Seeming to gain some confidence from that small gesture of affection, Hajime cupped Kenzaki's cheek with his hand, running his fingers across his jawline. Reaching further back, he tangled his fingers in Kenzaki's hair, marveling at how soft and thick it felt.

Hajime inched across the floor until he was directly in front of Kenzaki, his hand never leaving the young man's face. Swallowing around the lump that had formed in his throat, Hajime leaned in closer to Kenzaki. As his face came ever closer to Kenzaki's, Hajime felt his heart pounding so hard that it almost hurt. Nevertheless, he gently grazed Kenzaki's cheek with his own, breathing in deeply...Kenzaki's scent was maddening, it made him dizzy. He was so affected that he didn't feel Kenzaki subtly nuzzle his neck.

Kenzaki wanted so badly to touch him...to have Hajime-san this close was threatening to drive him mad, but he refused to do anything unless Hajime-san allowed him. "This isn't about me, anyway," Kenzaki thought.

So when Hajime moved his head slightly and licked a trail up Kenzaki's neck, the young man was startled. A low moan left Kenzaki's lips as he looked through half-lidded eyes at Hajime. "How do you feel now?" he breathed.

Hajime seemed to flush a bit as his eyes dropped to the floor. "I...still feel...like it's not enough", he replied meekly. Kenzaki's heart leapt...it was working! 

Then Hajime was moving onto his lap, and Kenzaki sucked in a startled breath as their bodies rubbed together, and he could feel that this was definitely having an effect on Hajime. And Hajime noticed, too, if the way he sharply gasped meant anything.

Then he was rolling his hips forward once again, and Kenzaki groaned softly, feeling how hard Hajime was getting just from this simple act. They definitely couldn’t proceed past this point today—he didn’t have any lube, and he was fairly certain that Hajime wouldn’t have anything like that, either—but this…this could be enough for now.

“Hajime-san…” Kenzaki breathed, his hands moving down to his waist. If he could convince him to at least pause long enough so they could free their erections, it could be so much better for him. 

Hajime growled softly, and the next thing Kenzaki knew, he was on his back, and Hajime began rutting against him harder, his breath coming out in soft pants as he moved. Finally, he seemed to realize that their clothing was proving to be an irritating barrier, and he fumbled with unfastening his jeans, and Kenzaki followed suit.

When Hajime’s hips thrust forward again, their shafts slid together, and they both moaned audibly from the contact. Kenzaki’s hand moved downward, and he tried his best to wrap his fingers around both of their lengths. The friction from Kenzaki’s hand, and the feeling of their shafts rubbing together as Hajime moved, made Hajime feel as though his body were simply going to come apart. 

It felt good. It felt so, _so_ good. And Kenzaki was looking up at him with those wide, trusting eyes, and it felt as though something inside Hajime broke.

Wave after wave of pleasure suddenly threatened to drag Hajime under, wrenching a loud cry from his lips as he came, and at that moment, he thought that now, he was surely about to die. It felt as if all of the strength were leaving his body. Surely this…this couldn’t be normal, could it?

But Kenzaki didn’t seem to look worried, or afraid, not even with that thick white liquid splattered on his chest. And after a few more motions of his hand, the same substance erupted from his own shaft, smearing across his abdomen.

Hajime’s body trembled from the force of his orgasm, and he allowed Kenzaki to draw him down, not caring that their mingled release was smearing on the front of his shirt. Nothing mattered except for this moment. The soft sounds of their breathing in the otherwise empty cabin. Kenzaki’s fingers moving up to trail through Hajime’s hair.

Kenzaki was reluctant to move as he tried to breathe evenly. Would this change anything between the two of them? Now that Hajime had explored his feelings...his dreams...would he push Kenzaki away?

Sadness threatened to drive him mad. Why did things have to be this way, he wanted to cry. I love Hajime-san...I refuse to kill him, seal him...to destroy this beautiful human being. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes, and he looked away.

At that moment, Hajime turned his gaze upon him, seeming to sense that something was amiss. Kenzaki looked so sad...why? Were those...tears?

"Kenzaki..?" Hajime questioned, pushing himself upright.

"Hajime-san...I promise...I will protect you. I'll change the threads of fate, you won't have to be sealed. I swear it. I love you too much...to hurt you. To watch you die... _I'd_ rather die first," Kenzaki choked, tears spilling from his eyes.

Hajime sucked in a sharp breath. Kenzaki never cried! Was this what human love did? Changed a person so..? "No, Kenzaki," Hajime said; as Kenzaki turned to him in confusion, Hajime wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. “It'll be fine...everything will fall into place," he stated.

Kenzaki hesitated at Hajime's rather...optimistic outlook on it all! With a smile, he took Hajime in his arms, burying his face in the crook of his neck. "You're right. The end has nearly come...just you watch, we'll both be alive at the end of this. You'll call me a fool...and I'll just smile and take it," Kenzaki replied.

Hajime nodded; he slowly pulled back, then, hesitantly, leaned forward to capture Kenzaki's lips.

*

Several days later...

Tachibana and the Category King fell from a cliff in battle. The Category King landed upon a Sealing Card, and was sealed in its defeat. Tachibana was missing and presumed dead.

The Battle Fight was over.

The Sealing Stone appeared before Aikawa Hajime, who backed away from it in fear, even as he felt Joker rejoice. "No...I don't want anything! Go away!" he hollered at the tall slab of black stone. The winner of the Battle Fight began to surface...but as Hajime vanished, he cried out Kenzaki's name.

Kenzaki fought the Dark Roaches summoned by the Sealing Stone as they descended upon the city. Blade, in King Form, and Kamen Rider Leangle fought tirelessly, but there was no end to them. Heavy injuries and exhaustion threatened to overtake the two, but they pressed on.

Kenzaki traced Hajime back to the cabin. "It looks like this place is the beginning and the end for us," Hajime said.

Blade and Chalice fought...they evolved into King Forms...until...

The Dark Roaches vanished. Chalice and Blade powered down, and Hajime was greeted by another Undead.

Kenzaki.

He had been planning it all along...to save Hajime, he'd used the King Form to become another Joker.

Thus, the Battle Fight did _not_ end.

Kenzaki said he'd change the history of the Battle Fight...and, for better or worse...he had.

Hajime felt his eyes mist as he stared at Kenzaki's blood...the green blood of an Undead. It was unfair, total idiocy..!

"Kenzaki...you...you are a fool."

As he had predicted, Kenzaki merely smiled his usual foolish smile, then turned to walk away...never to be seen again.

*

_"Yes, I do still see him...in my mind, he is everywhere. On the streets, in stores, in the restaurant. Whenever I see him, he always smiles and gently says my name...I've learned to not chase these phantoms anymore. My heart aches, not being able to know where he is, for fear of the two of us battling to the death._

_It's unfair...that one day made me realize how precious, how essential to my life he is. I wake at night sometimes in tears, dreaming that he is with me once again, within arm’s reach._

_I want to find him...to hold him one last time...but I know that will never happen._

_Will we die as humans do, I wonder? Will we meet each other at the gates of Hell? Only time shall reveal the answer, I suppose._

_Perhaps the Battle Fight will, somehow, end one day, or restart without our deaths. I would welcome that...so that I may, once again, fight as a Kamen Rider by his side._

_Kenzaki...do you feel that way as well? Do you ever think of me, wherever you hide yourself?_

_I want to see your smile again...so I can tell you that you are, truly, a fool. A wise, unfair fool...for leaving me alone to suffer._

_Come back, Kenzaki.”_

Hajime closed the journal he had been writing in, placing it under his camera and getting to his feet. Making his way to the door leading out of his room, he cracked it open slightly, listening for any sound of movement. It was perfectly silent, and he nodded to himself.

He lifted his trenchcoat from a nearby chair, slipping it over his small frame, then reached into the pockets, as if checking something; finding what he sought, he nodded once again.

Walking to the door, he turned back to look at the room he had occupied for what felt like forever. Perhaps Amane-chan would find his journal and learn who...what he truly was. Would she care? It mattered little...she won't ever see me again, Hajime thought, switching off the light and quickly making his way out of the building without a sound.

He did not look back as he walked swiftly away.

All that remained of Aikawa Hajime was a short note for Amane and her mother.

*

A few hours later, Hajime arrived at the abandoned cabin where he and Kenzaki had acted upon their feelings for one another. It felt like it had been forever, but Hajime knew in his heart that it had only been mere months...long, painful months that he had struggled through with false enthusiasm.

Removing his jacket and placing it on the floor, Hajime sat down, a small object cupped in his shaking hands. With a fluid movement, he flicked the pocket knife open, staring at it. It had belonged to Amane's father, and she had given it to Hajime after one of the times she had found herself in the path of an Undead. "Just to be safe, Hajime-san", she had said.

The blade was razor sharp and flawless, Hajime noted. Blade...Blade...Kenzaki. His eyes grew moist as the name flitted through his head. "If I can never see you again, Kenzaki...what reason have I to continue living?" he murmured.

Holding the knife firmly, he slit one wrist vertically along the vein, moving quickly to the other before he could no longer hold the knife, only managing to get less than halfway before the knife tumbled from suddenly numb fingers. His face showed no indication of pain, even as his green life's blood spilled from his veins like a waterfall. Hajime laid back upon his coat, closing his eyes. "It can end now...my pain...my loneliness. Kenzaki...if I could only hold you once more..." he said, his hand reaching up toward the ceiling.

After mere seconds, his arm fell to the floor with a dull thud. Blood continued to spread around his body, and Aikawa Hajime did not move again.

*

Kenzaki returned to his home, his face flushed and glistening with sweat from his long run. Strenuous exercise like this seemed to be the only way to keep his mind off things that had happened. If he allowed himself to dwell, he would find himself on his motorcycle, heading back toward Tokyo...to Hajime-san's arms.

He kept seeing the pained, shocked look on Hajime's face after Kenzaki had become an Undead. The decision to leave had hurt him...he didn’t want to do it...but he _had_ to. He and Hajime-san would have fought one another to the death otherwise...two Jokers out for world domination. So Kenzaki had used every last yen he had to flee to Okinawa, and lived isolated, far from any nearby town. Away from people who could be hurt by being near him. Never again, he had sworn...he would die alone.

Just then, Kenzaki sensed a familiar presence nearby...just outside his home! Impossible, it couldn't be..!

Kenzaki dashed outside, only to find himself face-to-face with the Sealing Stone. His eyes widened as he felt his Undead persona stir. "Never...I will not let you out!" he shouted, using all of his power to keep the destroyer of the world at bay.

"What is it you wish?" This booming voice filled Kenzaki's head as he struggled to stay in control.

"How can this be..? Joker...no, Hajime-san...where is he?" he demanded.

There was a brief silence, then the words, "That one no longer lives. He has taken his life. You are the champion of the Battle Fight."

Kenzaki gasped, staggering backward. "He...killed himself..?" he whispered; his composure slipping briefly, he fell to his knees. "No...Hajime-san...why..?" he asked, his vision blurring.

"What is your desire?" the Sealing Stone asked once again.

Kenzaki looked up to angrily glare at the black slab, wiping his eyes with a swipe of his hand as he rose, pulling out his Changer and holding his Change Card before him. "You want to know my wish? Fine...here it is: I want to live with Hajime-san...as humans", he declared, placing the card in his Changer, preparing to henshin.

There was silence that seems to last a lifetime, broken only by the sound of Kenzaki's Changer powering up, before the Sealing Stone stated, "It is not impossible."

A brief expression of shock crosses Kenzaki's face, as the Stone added, "But with it comes a price, to revive the other Joker."

Kenzaki set his jaw, removing the card from his Changer, which fell into his waiting hand. "No price is too great for his life", he stated.

The Sealing Stone glowed briefly, and Kenzaki's Changer exploded in his hands. He winced, looking down to see green blood well up from his slightly burned palms. "The price is this...no longer will you, or he, be able to fight Undead. The Battle Fight has been reset, but you two are powerless to interfere. Do you still wish this?" the Stone queried.

Kenzaki nodded. "I do", he stated.

The Stone glowed once more. "Thy wish be granted", it spoke, then folded time and space to vanish.

Kenzaki stared ahead for several seconds, then snapped back to reality. Looking down at his hands, he saw that red blood, not green, stained his palms.

A smile crossed his lips. "It worked...it actually worked! Hajime-san...I have to get back. Please...let it be true..." he thought to himself, turning to run over to his motorcycle.

He could return now...it was safe to..! But would Hajime-san be waiting for him?  
*

A day later, Kenzaki returned to Tokyo. Leaving the city behind, he hurried out to the countryside, knowing in his mind where he'd find Hajime. "The beginning and the end for us..." he murmured, rushing down toward the canyon floor.

Finally, the cabin came into view, and Kenzaki rushed inside to a gruesome scene: Hajime laid on his coat, green and red blood staining the white fabric, his face pale and waxy. Red blood had dried on his wrists, and that alone made Kenzaki's heart leap. "Red blood...but there’s so much...is he still alive?" he wondered.

Kneeling next to Hajime, Kenzaki pressed two fingers to the side of his neck, and sighed with relief as he picked up a faint pulse. "Thank God...hold on, Hajime-san", Kenzaki said, stroking his pale cheek.

Picking him up and moving him to the wooden slab of a bed, Kenzaki tore makeshift bandages for Hajime from his ruined jacket. As an afterthought, he tore a large piece off, then ran to the stream outside to wet it. Upon returning, he gently wiped the caked blood from Hajime's arms, paying careful attention to not open his wounds once again. Satisfied with the cleanup, he tied the bandages around Hajime's wrists. A small amount of blood colored the cloth, but not enough to be of concern, as Hajime's chest rose and fell.

Sighing in relief, Kenzaki sat next to him, watching him breathe quietly for several moments.

Feeling his own exhaustion, Kenzaki curled up next to Hajime, using his own arm as a pillow. He laid quietly staring at Hajime's face until sleep finally claimed him...the first peaceful rest he'd had in months.

*

Hajime's eyes slowly opened, focusing on the cabin's ceiling. "Still alive...why? Can I not die? Must I live with this pain forever?" he wondered to himself.

Suddenly becoming aware of another presence beside him, he turned his head to see Kenzaki laying next to him, still asleep.

Hajime's eyes widened. "Kenzaki..!" he breathed; but before he could move, his expression changed. "I see...a final taunt...one more phantom to torment me," he thought. He stared at Kenzaki's face sadly, reluctant to move, lest he cause the image to vanish. "I wish I could die with you truly beside me, Kenzaki," he said softly.

At the sound of Hajime's voice, Kenzaki's eyes slowly opened to focus on his face, and he smiled. "You're finally awake", he said.

Hajime's brow furrowed, and he stumbled to his feet; only then did he see the bandages around his wrists. "Why did you save me? You were foolish to return, Kenzaki...do you want to kill me _that_ badly?" he asked in a slightly panicked voice laced with hints of anger.

Kenzaki got to his feet, reaching out to gently take Hajime's hands in his. "Take a closer look, Hajime-san," he said, turning Hajime's palms upward so he could see his bandages closer.

Hajime, though confused, did as he was asked, warily looking at Kenzaki as he did so. He sucked in a surprised breath, his eyes widening. "Red...blood..?" he asked, looking to Kenzaki for an explanation.

"It's over, Hajime-san!" Kenzaki exclaimed, reaching out to grasp Hajime's shoulders; Hajime flinched at the movement, still certain that being near Kenzaki would result in the continuation of the Battle Fight.

Noticing Hajime's odd behavior, Kenzaki tried to calm him with a gentle caress. "Relax, Hajime-san. Look..." he said, showing Hajime his burnt palms, red blood dried on various points.

"But how?" Hajime asked.

Kenzaki stepped forward, pulling Hajime in for a much-desired kiss, then embraced him tightly. "Don't ever try to kill yourself again, Hajime-san. Without you...I wouldn't be able to go on", he choked.

Hajime felt tears cloud his eyes. "That was exactly why I _had_ to, Kenzaki! I couldn't stand the pain any longer!" he cried, the tears falling freely down his face, great wracking sobs shaking his body. “I wasn’t strong enough.”

"Forgive me, Hajime-san...doing what I did hurt me so much, more than you can possibly know...but it was the only way I knew to let you live on. I couldn't take your life after all...I was foolish to pretend that I could. But it's over now...all of it. Blade and Chalice are...gone", Kenzaki said.

Hajime turned confused eyes up to Kenzaki, tears staining his face. "What do you mean? The Battle Fight will begin anew...we'll be needed", he said.

Kenzaki averted his eyes. "To revive you...the Sealing Stone destroyed our Changers. It...seemed insignificant next to not having you back", he said in a barely audible voice.

"You...chose _me_...over your desire to protect humans?" Hajime gasped.

"I know...it was selfish of me...but you have you back..." Kenzaki choked, turning his tear-filled eyes away from Hajime, suddenly feeling ashamed.

Hajime's hand reached up to wipe the tears from Kenzaki's eyes, much to his surprise, and he turned to meet Hajime's sad gaze. "I don't deserve someone as selfless as you, Kenzaki...I'm just a weak fool who tried to take the coward's way out. You deserve better.”

"I wouldn't sacrifice so much for anyone else, Hajime-san", Kenzaki said, his bright smile lifting Hajime's spirits.

"You are truly foolish..." he whispered, then collapsed against Kenzaki's chest, clinging to him desperately. Kenzaki's arms slowly wrapped around Hajime, pulling him close.

"I love you, Kenzaki..." Hajime breathed into the young man's shirt. "Let's go somewhere...start over...I am so tired of the fighting..."

Kenzaki drew back, looking at Hajime in disbelief. "Are you sure? What about Amane-chan?" he asked.

Hajime smiled, shaking his head. "I left a note telling them that I had to return home. Perhaps...one day, Amane-chan will find my journal...I hope she will understand, and not feel any hatred toward me", he explained.

Kenzaki nodded slowly. "But where would we go? I used the last of my money and my luck coming back here", he mused.

"I've saved all that I received from helping at the restaurant. We'll manage", Hajime said.

Kenzaki smiled. "All right", he said, his fingers brushing against Hajime's hand.

"But I have one condition", Hajime added.

Kenzaki cocked his head in confusion, as Hajime took his hand. "Tonight...I'd...like to stay here. I want to be with you...to have you hold me. I've dreamed of it for so long," he said, sounding shy.

Kenzaki wordlessly pulled Hajime into a passionate kiss, his arms wrapped tightly around him. Hajime's hands pressed into Kenzaki's back, pulling him closer. When they parted, Kenzaki smiled gently. "Of course. Not a day passed where I didn't dream about holding you...or doing other things with you," he added, an almost mischievous smile crossing his lips. 

Kenzaki chuckled, reaching out to swing the door shut with one foot. One night wouldn't matter...it was the first of many, after all. Now that he had found Hajime-san again, he had no intentions of letting him go...and he wanted him to know _exactly_ how much he’d been missed.

**Author's Note:**

> I realize the ending might sound a little ooc, with Kenzaki not caring about giving up his powers, and Hajime suggesting they go away together. I'd honestly been planning to do a next generation Blade fic back when I'd written this, where Kenzaki and Hajime show up maybe once or twice to help the new Blade and Chalice along, and it just...never happened. That was just too much of an AU for me to tackle back then.


End file.
